The invention relates to a molded trim component for covering an airbag in a motor vehicle, having at least
a support which is weakened along an opening line adjoining an opening cover,
an intermediate layer arranged on the support, said intermediate layer being weakened along a tear-open line assigned to the opening line of the support, and
a decorative layer made of leather arranged on the intermediate layer, said decorative layer having no local weakening in the region of the tear-open line in the intermediate layer.
The support is for example a plastics molded component which can be produced for example as an injection-molded component or the like. The intermediate layer fastened, for example adhesively bonded, to the support may be in particular a knitted fabric, specifically a knitted spacer fabric. Within the context of the invention, weakening means for example a weakening in the thickness or a local thickness reduction as in the case of a notch or else a perforation or the like. The decorative layer made of leather is adhesively bonded as a rule to the knitted spacer fabric. A molded trim component formed in this way is used for example as an interior covering in a vehicle, for example as a dashboard covering, door inner trim or the like. In order that the airbag arranged in a firing channel behind the molded trim component, specifically behind the opening cover of the molded trim component, can deploy reliably, the support is weakened along the opening line, forming the opening cover. The opening cover is formed in a substantially rectangular manner, with the weakening breaking open as a rule on three sides when the airbag is deployed, so that the opening cover flaps open in the manner of a hinge. The opening cover can in this case also consist of a plurality of covers or cover sections, which flap open individually in the manner of a hinge. During opening, the intermediate layer, for example the knitted spacer fabric, likewise tears open along the tear-open line.
In order to avoid the opening cover or airbag cover being visible from the vehicle interior, the entire molded trim component is provided as a rule with a decorative layer made for example of leather, without seams or the like being visible in the region of the opening cover. In order nevertheless to ensure defined tearing open of the airbag covering when the airbag is deployed, in the past the decorative layer made of leather was provided on the rear with a weakening line, which is aligned substantially with the tear-open line in the intermediate layer. However, the production of such airbag coverings is complicated. Moreover, the weakenings in the rear of the leather layer are disadvantageous, since, in particular in the course of aging, they can become apparent on the surface the weakening line in the rear of the leather layer and are then visible from the vehicle interior.
For this reason, it has already been proposed to dispense with a weakening in the rear of the leather (cf. DE 10 2006 055 861 B3). However, in order to ensure defined opening of the airbag in the known embodiment, it was proposed to omit the adhesive connection between the leather layer and the intermediate layer (knitted spacer fabric) within a strip extending along the tear-open line. What is disadvantageous with this embodiment is the fact that the application of adhesive has to be carried out in a defined and controlled manner and that in particular exact positioning of the individual layers in relation to one another has to be ensured. As a result, the overall production becomes more complicated.
DE 10 2006 027 082 A1, too, discloses a molded trim component of the type described at the beginning, in which the decorative layer is intended to be unweakened in the region of the opening line in the support part or in the intermediate layer.